Sensex gains 146 points, auto banking stocks up (Lead)

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Tuesday rose 146 points in afternoon trade with more buying in automobile, consumer durable and banking stocks.

It was trading over 79 points in the early trade.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,431.68 points and was trading at 17,538.45, around 2 p.m., up 0.84 percent or 146.47 points from its previous close at 17,391.98 points.

The BSE mid-cap was up 56.27 points and small cap was higher by 46.95 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P; CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also was trading 0.84 percent higher at 5,319.55 points.

The BSE automobile index was up 140.29 points, while the consumer durable index and the banking index were 75.03 points and 138.31 points up respectively.

Major Sensex gainers were Tata Motors, up 2.52 points at Rs.246.25; Jindal Steel, up 1.92 percent at Rs.452; Maruti Suzuki, up 1.90 percent at Rs.1,211.60; Dr Reddys Lab, up 1.47 percent at Rs.1,666.90; Larsen and Toubro, up 1.45 percent at Rs.1,409.

The main losers were NTPC, down 0.94 percent at Rs.158.30; Tata Power, down 0.59 percent at Rs.100.80; Hindustan Unilever, down 0.41 percent at Rs.441.85; Tata Steel, down 0.13 percent at Rs.436.50 and Wipro, down 0.08 percent Rs.385.60.